Georgian Personal Data Protection Service obtains observer status in European Data Protection Board
The Personal Data Protection Service of Georgia on Tuesday announced it had obtained observer status in the European Data Protection Board. Photo: i-SCOOP
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The Personal Data Protection Service of Georgia on Tuesday announced it had obtained observer status in the European Data Protection Board.
Lela Janashvili, the Head of the Service, said the status was “the most important achievement” in the history of the domestic personal data protection law and its supervisory authority.
This [status] ensures even more compliance of the Service's activities with European standards and dignified membership in the European family of data protection counterpart bodies”, she said.
The decision on granting the Georgian body the observer status was taken at a plenary session of the EDPB on June 20.
Georgia’s Special Investigation Service, an agency probing abuse of power at institutions, on Wednesday announced the creation of its Section for Protection of the Rights of Victims.
The Parliament of Georgia appointed Karlo Katsitadze and Lela Janashvili to lead the Special Investigation Service and Personal Data Protection Services respectively on Tuesday, with the two newly created agencies replacing the outgoing State Inspector Service.
As the coronavirus pandemic pushes education, healthcare and other public services online and puts huge amounts of personal data in the digital domain, the protection of citizens’ privacy has become an important issue in Georgia.
Georgia’s capital Tbilisi is hosting the 29th edition of the Conference of European Data Protection Authorities, which is the first international forum regarding data protection to be held in Georgia.
Lela Janashvili, the Head of the Personal Data Protection Service of Georgia, on Tuesday said the personal data protection law adopted by the Parliament in June was expected to create a “sustainable and effective” protection mechanism and improve related laws.
Georgia’s Special Investigation Service has become a member of the European Partners against Corruption, an independent organisation aiming to develop police supervision mechanisms and effective systems of anti-corruption work, implement the best international practices among member institutions and strengthen cooperation.
Lela Janashvili, the head of the Georgian Personal Data Protection Service, on Tuesday discussed organisational questions and cooperation with Leonardo Cervera-Navas, the Secretary General of the European Data Protection Supervisor institution.
Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Chair of the Parliament's Human Rights Committee, on Friday said Georgia had joined the ranks of states in which the protection of personal data would be implemented at the “highest level, at the European level”.